Field
The present invention generally relates to systems, methods, and computer program products for managing contactless transactions.
Related Art
Wireless technologies such as near field communications (NFC) standards are increasingly being used to exchange data between devices when placed within a predetermined distance from each other. One use of such technologies is for making contactless transactions including for payments, offers, ticketing, and the like. For example, an NFC-enabled mobile device can include or store information such as payment credentials, commerce benefits (e.g., offers, coupons, loyalty awards, vouchers, rewards, discounts, promotions), and tickets (e.g., train tickets, movie tickets), which are issued by corresponding service providers (e.g., credit card company, merchant, transit authority). Such information can be managed by one or more applets and/or applications (e.g., mobile wallet application) deployed on the mobile device.
The mobile device can, in turn, use the NFC technology to communicate with other NFC-enabled devices such as reader terminals on point-of-sale (PoS) or admissions systems. For example, to redeem an offer and/or make a payment, a mobile device is placed (e.g., by its user) within approximately ten centimeters (or another predetermined and technologically feasible distance) of the reader terminal. Upon being placed within the predetermined distance, the mobile device and reader terminal become communicatively coupled and exchange a number of communications and information to process the requested contactless transaction. Placing the mobile device within a predetermined proximity to the reader terminal so that they can be communicatively coupled is often referred to as performing a “tap” or “wave”. Performing a “tap” or “wave” is described in more detail in U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. US 2013/0317924 A1 and US 2013/0317927 A1, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Mobile wallet applications on mobile devices are used to centrally manage contactless transactions from a mobile device. For example, mobile wallet applications can manage other applets (e.g., payment applets, security applets) and data (e.g., payment credentials, offers, loyalty rewards) that are used during contactless transactions. That is, mobile wallet applications can control when a certain applet is to be used and when certain credentials or data are communicated with other devices (e.g., reader terminals).
Typically, data such as benefits (e.g., coupons, loyalty rewards, promotions, discounts, certificates, gifts) that are stored on mobile devices for use by mobile wallet applications are openly available to mobile wallet applications and their users. For example, an offer issued by a merchant can be obtained and used by any mobile wallet application.
Given the foregoing, it would be beneficial to distinguish between mobile wallet applications and distribute offers to certain mobile wallet applications based on predetermined criteria. Further, it would be beneficial to assign and manage a status for applications based on the frequency of use of those applications.